Antimicrobial polymeric materials for packaging applications: A review

In recent years, antimicrobial packaging has attracted much attention from the food industry because of the increase in consumer demand for minimally processed, preservative-free products. Antimicrobial packaging can be considered an emerging technology that could have a significant impact on shelf life extension and food safety. Many classes of antimicrobial compounds have been evaluated in film structures, synthetic polymers and edible films. New antimicrobial packaging materials are continually being developed. Many of them exploit natural agents to control common food-borne microorganisms. The present review will be restricted to food packaging applications only, including a brief outline of some antimicrobial polymeric packaging systems, recent developments and future prospects.